Parents of the Class of 2019

[tink1970]

I think Harvard is also targeting based on income - the packet we received stressed their "zero to ten" financial aid initiative,

I think you're right about Harvard...my DD attends a "school within a school" and the main school is in an economically depressed area (ALL students receive free lunch...which I don't understand but okay...) and she has gotten flyers from almost all of the Ivies, I'm pretty sure based on the assumption she's in the economically disadvantaged group. That said, we don't expect a penny from financial aid so happy those programs exist for those who need it...and any sort of merit aid will be welcomed.

PS-U of AL not only pays for tuition, housing, books, etc, last I read they also award a stipend (?$2,000/year or semester) for National Merit Scholarship Finalists. They treat their NMSF students really well...and the football team isn't bad, either

 

[Colleen27]

I think you're right about Harvard...my DD attends a "school within a school" and the main school is in an economically depressed area (ALL students receive free lunch...which I don't understand but okay...) and she has gotten flyers from almost all of the Ivies, I'm pretty sure based on the assumption she's in the economically disadvantaged group. That said, we don't expect a penny from financial aid so happy those programs exist for those who need it...and any sort of merit aid will be welcomed.

PS-U of AL not only pays for tuition, housing, books, etc, last I read they also award a stipend (?$2,000/year or semester) for National Merit Scholarship Finalists. They treat their NMSF students really well...and the football team isn't bad, either

Yeah, our area is economically disadvantaged - the public district is a Title I school but also unusually high performing, so it would make sense for Ivies looking for high-achieving, low-income kids to target our zip code. Even with a household income about a third higher than the town's median, we will qualify for substantial need-based aid.

That sounds like a great deal at U of AL! I love that schools are coming up with so many different ways to try to start addressing the ridiculous cost of college, even if it is only reaching a small number of students at this point.

 

[lovesdumbo]

At our HS we pay both AP exam and book.

We have DD2017, DS2019 & DD2021 so 2 years of 1 in college, 4 years of 2 in college and 2 more years of 1 assuming they graduate in 4 years and no grad school....

We were lucky that DD2017 got a VERY generous merit package from her SUNY school. We are OOS. Our state doesn't have her major so she could have gotten near in state tuition from schools in CT, VT & NH but SUNY Oswego was a better fit for her. OOS tuition is around $16K and she got $14K in merit. Her package requires her to live on campus but its not like she's going to commute from MA. She's very happy there.

My DS2019 is looking at much more expensive schools and his stats aren't are good as DDs so I don't know what merit he'll qualify for-right now I'm more worried about admissions.

My DD2021 is saying she doesn't want to go to college but I think it is just the high pressure the HS puts on the kids. They like to boast that 100% of the kids go to a 4 year college. I'm sure she'll find her match when the time comes.

I did get DS to sign up for Oct SAT. Hopefully he can add a few points to his math score and up his admission chances. That is sort of the focus right not until 10/6 but next week he & DH are going to FL to visit FL Tech & Embry-Riddle-hopefully he'll continue to study at night & on the plane. PLUS he has to finish his Eagle Scout project before he ages out Jan 10th. He wrote his proposal for the project he really wanted to do but it hit a legal snag so now he has to start over. Hopefully the 2nd try will be easier - he's got to get over his disappointment and move on.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Iowa is looking less & less interesting as cost becomes a factor. They just don’t offer anything unique enough to justify the added expense & we don’t qualify for anything need based. DD does quality for some merit help, but not enough to justify to difference. And I think it’s lost some of its luster since we have broadened our search. Fortunately, some of the more appealing options are lining up very nicely financially.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

Yeah, our area is economically disadvantaged - the public district is a Title I school but also unusually high performing, so it would make sense for Ivies looking for high-achieving, low-income kids to target our zip code. Even with a household income about a third higher than the town's median, we will qualify for substantial need-based aid.

That sounds like a great deal at U of AL! I love that schools are coming up with so many different ways to try to start addressing the ridiculous cost of college, even if it is only reaching a small number of students at this point.

We are definitely not in an economically disadvantaged area, although we're also not on the high income side of the area.

We decided with DD that since her #1 reach school is MIT, and if her ACT score comes up to a 34 when the scores come out, we'll do early decision if the college service thinks that she may get aid from the school to get down to a reasonable cost per year. If they can't give us a ballpark, then most likely we won't do early decision and take our chances with regular application time.

 

[Eureka]

My son has most of the Common App completed, but needs his recommendation letter(s) before he can officially apply anywhere. He hasn't decided if he's applying to a major reach school (either Case Western or Carnegie Mellon), but he has a couple in state safety schools selected along with RIT and Va Tech on his list. He just found out today that Va Tech doesn't do Common App, so he's a little irritated he'll have to do that one separately.

Same here, he’s sent scores, completed a lot of the Common and Coalition apps. Also completed the personal info part of the Georgetown app. That one is such a racket, it made us pay the $75 app fee before letting him move on to see the essay prompts. I’ve been bugging him to get the transcript form from school but he said they (guidance) have very specific times you can go get stuff like that. I said don’t wait for them to announce it, go ask.

 

[mjkacmom]

We are definitely not in an economically disadvantaged area, although we're also not on the high income side of the area.

We decided with DD that since her #1 reach school is MIT, and if her ACT score comes up to a 34 when the scores come out, we'll do early decision if the college service thinks that she may get aid from the school to get down to a reasonable cost per year. If they can't give us a ballpark, then most likely we won't do early decision and take our chances with regular application time.

I put dd’s stats into the prep scholar calculator (she does have a 34), and she still has less than a 10% chance of getting into MIT, plus they don’t offer academic scholarships. Who gets into these schools? I guess those who gets perfect scores on these tests?

 

[Eureka]

I put dd’s stats into the prep scholar calculator (she does have a 34), and she still has less than a 10% chance of getting into MIT, plus they don’t offer academic scholarships. Who gets into these schools? I guess those who gets perfect scores on these tests?

Probably, but who even knows? I know a kid who got a 1550 on the SAT, straight As through high school, lots of AP classes and other activities and got rejected from Yale and U Chicago. She ended up going to Temple on a full tuition scholarship. Not quite a full ride but close enough.

 

[soccerdad72]

Same here, he’s sent scores, completed a lot of the Common and Coalition apps. Also completed the personal info part of the Georgetown app. That one is such a racket, it made us pay the $75 app fee before letting him move on to see the essay prompts. I’ve been bugging him to get the transcript form from school but he said they (guidance) have very specific times you can go get stuff like that. I said don’t wait for them to announce it, go ask.

I didn't realize there was another "common app" (the Coalition one) until we started looking at VT, but now I see they're on the Coalition App. So far, they're the only school I think my son is applying to that's on that system, so unfortunately, he'll be filling that one out for one school.

VT visit is in a holding pattern, waiting to see how much rain that area gets from Florence.

 

[mjkacmom]

Probably, but who even knows? I know a kid who got a 1550 on the SAT, straight As through high school, lots of AP classes and other activities and got rejected from Yale and U Chicago. She ended up going to Temple on a full tuition scholarship. Not quite a full ride but close enough.

It’s tough, you look at the grades and scores you need and have them, but still have a very small chance of getting in. I think I’ll havd dd apply to Princeton just for fun (it’s in state and my dad and uncle went there, so that’s my pick). She’s going to go where the $ is anyway.

 

[Eureka]

I didn't realize there was another "common app" (the Coalition one) until we started looking at VT, but now I see they're on the Coalition App. So far, they're the only school I think my son is applying to that's on that system, so unfortunately, he'll be filling that one out for one school.

VT visit is in a holding pattern, waiting to see how much rain that area gets from Florence.

Yup, only one Coalition for DS too but it's our state school so apply he must. He actually likes the school a lot, it's got a great reputation and is among his top choices.

 

[Colleen27]

I put dd’s stats into the prep scholar calculator (she does have a 34), and she still has less than a 10% chance of getting into MIT, plus they don’t offer academic scholarships. Who gets into these schools? I guess those who gets perfect scores on these tests?

We've been told over and over that it is the things that don't show up on the statistics that highly selective schools use to make the decision, because there are far more top students than spots at any of these schools. Georgetown, Notre Dame and Wellesley all stressed that in their information sessions. Which sounds to me like it is essentially random and impossible to predict which impressive students will be accepted and which will be rejected.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Mine informed me this morning (in a "rapid download" of a bunch of other information) that he is now considering doing two years of community college and then transferring. I'm thinking that might be great for my pocketbook, but the speed of these constant changes is throwing me for a loop!

 

[portocall]

Class of 2019 mom here. This is my second graduate. My first was class of 2017.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Class of 2019 mom here. This is my second graduate. My first was class of 2017.

 

[laughinplace199]

Class of 2019 mom here. This is my second graduate. My first was class of 2017.

Welcome! I have a 2017 and a 2019 also!

 

[Colleen27]

Class of 2019 mom here. This is my second graduate. My first was class of 2017.

Welcome! I have a 2017 and 2019 too.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Welcome from another 2017 & 2019 mom! (and 2021)

 

[mjkacmom]

Welcome from a 2014, 2016, 2019, and 2021 Mom!

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

I put dd’s stats into the prep scholar calculator (she does have a 34), and she still has less than a 10% chance of getting into MIT, plus they don’t offer academic scholarships. Who gets into these schools? I guess those who gets perfect scores on these tests?

It also depends on what your competition looks like that year. If there is a small pool of these elite students, then they're going to expand who they can accept, but we know it's still a big reach.

One of DD's good friends ended up with a perfect score on her ACT, but she's a genius, and will probably end up with a full ride where ever she wants to go!